Falafels: great family food.

I’ve recently got really into beans and pulses. We’ve always eaten a lot of hummus in our house and added beans to casseroles, but since choosing to cut down on our meat consumption bean mania has hit us. So with some friends popping by with their little ones for lunch I needed a quick, easy to make, healthy and tasty lunchtime nibble. A flick around Pinterest inspired me to try falafels.

I find dried beans are 1. Cheaper 2. Tastier 3. Make me feel like I’m healthier 😉 so I often have something soaking ready for use the next day. Although you do have to soak a lot of the dried versions on beans if you are planning your meals in advance anyway then it just helps you get yourself organised. The main key to healthy eating is planning.

I tipped a pile of soaked and cooked chick peas in the food processor with 1 small onion, 2 garlic cloves, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp coriander, 1 tsp paprika. After a quick whizz I added some fresh herbs and it was ready to shape into balls and cook. I used 1tbsp rapeseed oil in a non stick pan to lightly brown them. They were REALLY good. Loved by my 1 year old and her friend, plus enjoyed by the mummies. Even my husband enjoyed them later than evening.